Bathing suit



R. LORENZ BATHING SUIT Feb. 9, 1932;

Filed Aug. 19 1929 Patented Feb. 9,1932

- UNITED :STATES PATENT OFFICE,

f RICHARD LORENZ,.OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LORENZ, KNITTING MILLS, OF

' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS BATHING SUIT Application filed August 19, 1929. Serial No. 386,830.

My invention relates to bathing suits and been so built-in that their use in a, sun back suit is prohibited if a neat appearance is desired. By sewing-or fastenlng-the bust-supporting means within the suit at its sides, a

, pull is exerted transversely across the back,

this pull being exerted mainly from thesides so that there is a tendency for the back of the suit to stretch. If the bathing suit is of the sun back type, it will be obvious that the shoulder straps will tend to slip, particularly while swimming or bathing. The pull will cause thezsuit to spread at the back from both s des of the low cut-away portion and permit unnecessary exposure as well as accidental in slipping of the shoulder straps.

According to the teachings of the present invention the bust-supporting means is completely hidden from view and not only tends to hold the bust snugly against the body but prevents the suit, when of the sun back an type, from accidentally slipping at the shoulders, thereby presenting a neater appearance and assuring the swimmer of the proper support for the suit. The mventionmamly re- M sides in a self-contained bust support which hasa part thereof non-stretchable transverse- 1y; across the front at the bust region of the suit and a continuing part across the back which'is elastic or stretchable to allow the properyield' and yet-cause the non-stretchi able front part to fit snugly and comfortably.

A The bust support as a whole isself-contained in the suit by being attached preferably at the front and back thereof. Attaching this 1,: bust support at said places is of considers' i' able importance in a garment of this type,

and particularly in view of the construction shown, as all diificultiesheretofore experienced, some of which are above noted, are effectively eliminated in a simple manner.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form, a part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a swimming v suit embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same; a

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view; and Fig. l illustrates, partly in section and partly in elevation, another form of the invention.

Referring to the swimming suit illustrated in the drawings, which may be of any conventional type but which, as shown, is of the type known as the sun'back suit, having the usual trunks 1, skirt 2, and waist portion 3. Trunks 1 may be sewed to the inner side of waist portion 3 at the seams indicated at a.

' It is customary to provide the skirt and waist portion of two pieces sewed together at the sides as indicated at 5. The waist 3 is made with the usual shoulder straps 6, which are cut in a manner at the back so that the back has the cut-away part 7 extending downwardly a considerable distance. The waist 3, being sewed together at the side, is, of course, made in'two pieces, namely, the front 8 and the back 9. It will be understood, of course, that the suit maybe of the one-piece type having the waist portion 3 integral with the trunks 1 and the skirt 2 omitted.

The swimming suit is preferably formed of knitted or woven ribbed material, the ribs extending vertically or lengthwise ofthe garment, thereby affording the maximum amount of stretch or give in a transverse or crosswise direction while permitting a minimum or substantially no stretch or give in a direction lengthwise of the garment.

The bust-supporting means embodying my invention is preferably arranged in builtin form in the suit, being so. formed as to snugly hold back .the bust of the wearer. This bust-supporting means is preferably in the form of a continuous strip or piece of material, preferably made of the same ma. terial as the remainder of the garment, and is formed of a. front part 10 and a rear part 9 to spread at the cut-away portion 7.

11. Front part 10 is made to be non-stretchable or non-yieldable transversely, but yieldable lengthwise of the suit. while rear part 11 is stretchable or yieldable transversely of the suit but is non-yieldable lengthwise of the suit. The advantage of this arrangement resides in the fact that when the bustsupporting means is attached at the front and back of the suit, namely, at 12 and 13, respectively, the transversely non-yieldable front part readily adapts itself to the shape of the bust to hold the bust tightly up against the body, if so desired, and the rear part 11 allows sufficient yield or give to permit proper transverse adjustment of front part 10 (ficross the bust to provide maximum comort.

By making the rear part 11 stretchable or elastic transversely, the bust is held snugly in position, the yield being su'flicient to preventany unnecessary pressure which might occur if the bust-supporting means lacked a transverse yield. Rear part 11 may taper or diminish in width to a considerable extent, if so desired, so that it will not extend above the lower edge of cut-away portion 7. The factthat it is sewed to the back portion at 13 so as to be concealed below cut-away portion 7 tends to hold the bust-supporting means in proper position against the body. Front part 10 may be sewed at two points, namely, at the upper and lower edge to the front part 8 of the suit. Accordingly, no slipping of the bust-supporting means is possible,

yet it is so fastened within the suit as to insure against accidental slipping of shoulder strap (5. By the arrangement disclosed, any stretch of the bust supporting means does not place a pull on the garment to cause the back part Consequently no pull is placed on the shoulder straps to cause their displacement.

In Figure 4 I have illustrated another embodiment of the invention wherein suitable snaps 15 may be substituted for the permanent fastening of the Mist-supporting means at 12 and 13, as indicated in the garment illustrated in Figures 1 to 53, inclusive.

Vithout further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the gist of my invention, that others may. by applying current knowledge, readily adopt the same for use under varying conditions of service, without eliminating certain features, which may properly be said to constitute the essential items of novelty involved, which items are intended to be defined and secured to me by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A bathing suit comprising a garment including a waist, shoulder straps therefor and trunks, and a transverse piece formed of two parts, each part being of ribbed knitted material, one of the parts extending across the bust portion of said waist and being secured thereto at the middle, and the other part extending as a continuation of the front part across the back of the waist and being secured to the back of the middle, said front part being non-stretchable transversely of the garment, said back part being yieldable transversely of the garment to allow adjustment of said front part in conformity with the bust.

2. A bathing suit comprising a garment including a Waist, shoulder straps therefor and trunks, and a bust support comprising a continuous piece of material extending about the interior of the garment and fastened substantially at the middle of the front and back of the waist at the top and bottom edges and having a portion thereof yieldable transversely of the garment to cause the portion extending across the bust adjustably to conform to the shape of the bust.

3. A bathing suit comprising a garment including a waist, shoulder straps therefor and trunks, said waist having a low cut back, being cut to a considerably lower point than the front of the waist at the neck portion, a bust support formed of ribbed knitted material non-yieldable transversely across the bust part of the garment and having a portion yieldable transversely and diminishin in width as it extends about said back, an attachments for connecting said bust support to the waist at the front and back only to prevent the pull of said bust support from displacing said shoulder straps.

4. A bathing suit comprising a garment including a waist, shoulder straps therefor and trunks, and a bust support comprising a substantially continuous piece of material extending about the interior of the garment and snugly fitting about the body to confine the bust thereto, said bust support being fastened substantially at the middle to the front and back only of the waist and concealed within the waist.

5. A bathing suit comprising a garment including a waist, shoulder straps therefor, and trunks, said waist having a low-cut back, being cut to a considerably lower point than the front of the waist at the neck portion, a bust support having a portion non-yieldable transversely across the bust and having a transversely yieldable portion extending about said back, and means for attachin said bust support to the waist at the front an back only to prevent the pull of said bust support from displacing said shoulder straps.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

RICHARD LORENZ. 

